“As a registered nurse, we can stay in the on-site accommodation for a period of time,” Michael explains. “Ideally, I needed something more long-term, so I started looking into finding a place of my own. The process was far more difficult than I’d originally anticipated. I started to speak to my colleagues about the difficulties faced, and many of them shared similar stories about their own problems in finding accommodation.”
In talking to colleagues Michael discovered the RCHT Home Finders Facebook group. “I registered with the group and almost immediately found it easy to use and brilliant in terms of engagement. The accommodation team is frequently posting potential accommodation listings for colleagues to look through, and the group provides a great support network for those of us that have been really struggling to find somewhere to live.”
It was through a post on the RCHT Home Finders group that Michael finally found something. “A listing had been posted just as I logged in,” Michael explains. “I applied for it, and everything just fell into place. I was very lucky in that my new landlady really values the NHS and the work that we do, and she wanted to support our services as best she could. Ultimately, this was a big factor in being considered for the property.”
“I’m now settled in a flat close to the town centre, and I couldn’t be happier. Knowing that I have somewhere to live has really taken a huge weight off my shoulders and means that I can now concentrate on my job and my work in the hospital without a sense of worry hanging over me. Since I found the property through the RCHT Home Finders group, I can only thank the accommodation team for their support. Had I not seen the property posted on that day, I don’t know what situation I might’ve found myself in. It’s possible I’d still be struggling to find somewhere to live.”
